1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to protective gear for skateboard riders, and more particularly to a knee pad for insulating the knee areas from injury while affording the rider additional control of the board by providing a protective shell having integral raised ridge areas which define a control surface which may be brought into sliding contact with the riding surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Skateboarding has flourished into a popular sport in recent years and enjoys active participation by a large number of today's youth. Serious riders compete in national and international freestyle competitions where they often perform dangerous stunts as they leap off of a swimming pool wall or half pipe into the air. Present skateboards are constructed from lightweight advanced composite materials and employ high-tech wheels and bearings in the quest for ever higher levels of performance. Unfortunately, the number of serious injuries to the knee, elbow, and head areas sustained during falls while riding skateboards is an undeniable reality. Various manufacturers have brought a myriad of protective devices to the marketplace which reduce the likelihood of serious injuries sustained while riding skateboards. With particular reference to the knee area, such protective devices typically comprise a resilient pad Which is strapped firmly around the rider's legs. The pad usually has a rigid outer surface for absorbing direct impact with the riding medium, and is backed by a cushioning material to dissipate and distribute shock loads away from critical areas of the knee which are highly susceptible to injury. However, there appears to be no such protective pad currently available, which in addition to its protective function, permits the rider to make sliding contact between the pad and the ground in a manner to achieve superior board control during various stunts such as precision controlled landings subsequent to ramp assisted aerial maneuvers.
Therefore, there exists a need for a knee pad which protects the rider against dangerous knee injuries, and which provides the rider with a new dimension of board control.